The collection showcases the diverse interests of Angus Trumble, a multifaceted curator and historian. His short pieces blend charm and wit, exploring topics ranging from art and history to personal reflections, including a poignant memoir and his bond with his teddy bear, Brownie. Trumble's eclectic writings invite readers into his world, touching on subjects as varied as floristry, the plague, and war memorials, all presented with scholarly insight and a whimsical touch that reveals his engaging personality.
The book offers a detailed and engaging exploration of Helena Rubinstein's formative years in Australia, highlighting a previously overlooked period in her life. It delves into her journey of establishing a pioneering global cosmetics empire, showcasing her influence on beauty standards and the empowerment of women through employment in her brand, which once employed 30,000 women worldwide.
Was ist ein Lächeln? Ein Reflex, ein Paarbindungssignal oder der natürliche Zustand der Gesichtsmuskulatur? Angus Trumble untersucht die kulturelle, physiologische, künstlerische und literarische Geschichte des Lächelns, einem der universellsten menschlichen Ausdrücke. Von der Entrückung des Buddhas bis zum lüsternen Grinsen des 17. Jahrhunderts, vom Geheimnis der Mona Lisa bis zur Grinsekatze aus Alice im Wunderland – das Lächeln hat seit der Zivilisation eine Vielzahl von Bedeutungen angenommen, die von Freude bis hin zu kühlem, makellosem Lächeln reichen. Ob freundlich oder boshaft, ungezogen oder höflich, alle Ausdrucksformen basieren auf einem gemeinsamen physiologischen Prozess. Trumble kombiniert Gelehrtheit, Witz und Charme und bietet einen erhellenden Bericht über die Kunst des Lächelns. Seine Beispiele reichen von 19. Jahrhundert-Gemälden bis zu modernen Zahnpasta-Werbung. Lächeln berührt zentrale Aspekte der menschlichen Erfahrung wie Glück, Liebe und Verderbtheit. Es wirft Fragen auf: Warum lächeln wir? Lächelt nur der Mensch? Ab wann nutzen Babys das Lächeln zur Kommunikation? Und was steckt hinter dem rätselhaften Lächeln der Mona Lisa? Diese Untersuchung ist sowohl spielerisch als auch gelehrt und beleuchtet die unwillkürlichste Muskelkontraktion unseres Körpers und unser Wesen als soziale Tiere.
It has been said that supreme enlightenment is reflected in the holy smile of the Buddha. Yet, the Victorians thought of open-mouthed smiling as obscene, and nineteenth-century English and American slang equated "smiling" with drinking whisky. Every smile is the product of physical processes common to all humans. But since the dawn of civilization, the upward movement of the muscles of the face has carried a bewildering range of meanings. In A Brief History of the Smile, Angus Trumble deftly weaves art, poetry, history and biology into an intriguing portrait of the many nuances of the human smile. Elegantly illustrating his points with emblematic works of art, from 18th and 19th century European paintings to Japanese woodblock prints, Trumble explores the meanings of smiling in a variety of cultures and contexts. But he also asks key questions about the behavioral and psychological aspects of smiling: When and how in infancy does human smiling become a profound act of communication? Is smiling unique to human beings? How does smiling function to foster our attachments to each other? Effortlessly mingling erudition, wit, and personal anecdote, Trumble weaves a seamless interdisciplinary tapestry.An established talent in the art worlds of Europe, Europe and Australia, Trumble challenges our most deeply held assumptions about smiling. In his analysis of Jusepe de Ribera's Girl Playing a Tambourine, Trumble explores the sinister side of the smile-the leer, the snarl, the lewd grin. And from J.A. Ingres' portrait of the Princesse de Broglie, he extracts the implications of "public" smiling, the tension between decorum and beauty. Trumble brings his expertise as a writer, historian and thinker to bear on the art of smiling in this charming and distinctive work.
